Cheongchoho Lake

Right in the middle of Sokcho, Cheongchoho Lake is a lagoon about 5 km around. It formed where river water meets the sea and a sandbar cut it off from the East Sea, and from the lakeside path you can see the ridges of Seoraksan rising beyond fishing boats and apartment blocks. A bridge to a pavilion in the lake, the Expo Tower, the Gaetbae ferry and Abai Village are all within walking distance, making the lake the hub of most trips to Sokcho.

The story of a lagoon

The lake lies where the Cheongchocheon stream, flowing down from the Misiryeong side of Seoraksan, reaches the sea. It was once larger than neighbouring Yeongnangho Lake, but a development project begun in 1987 reduced it by about a third, and the Gangwon International Tourism Expo of 1999 turned the shore into the park you see today. Old Sokcho counted the mirror-like lake among its eight scenic views under the name Cheongho Magyeong, and the Cheongho-dong neighbourhood is named after it.

Around the lake

• Cheongchojeong Pavilion: it sits at the end of a 75 m footbridge that starts on the north shore. Seoraksan is straight ahead, and when the lights come on at night it is one of Sokcho's best night views.
• Expo Tower: a 73.4 m observation tower built for the 1999 Expo, looking out over the lake, the East Sea and Seoraksan.
• Dragon sculpture: on the north shore, a monument tells the tale of the blue and yellow dragons.
• Bird-watching hide: the lakeside bird sanctuary lets you watch waterbirds.
• Yacht marina and Seorak Bridge: from the marina, snow-covered Seoraksan is reflected in the lake in winter, and Seorak Bridge, with its lift, works as a viewpoint over the lake and the sea.

Walking the Cheongchoho trail

The roughly 6 km Cheongchoho trail is flat. It runs from the Expo Tower past Chilseong Shipyard and the Gaetbae ferry landing to Abai Village. Walk it towards sunset to see the sun go down over the lake and Seoraksan in silhouette. Abai Village grew up in the 1950s, when refugees from the North settled here during the Korean War.

Small museums by the water

• Chilseong Shipyard: an old boatyard on the shore of Cheongchoho, now reused as a cultural space. You can see traces of the workshop where wooden boats were built, with the lake right outside.
• Seokbong Ceramic Museum of Art: a ceramics museum near Expo Park, an easy detour on a lakeside walk.
• Gaetbae ferry: a small boat that crosses the channel linking the lake to the sea, between Jungang-dong and Abai Village. Passengers pull it along a steel cable, which makes a very short ride surprisingly memorable.

Tripto tips

• Opening and fees: the lakeside park and paths are free and open at any time. Check the Sokcho city tourism pages for the Expo Tower observation deck's hours and prices before you go.
• Time needed: 1 hour for the pavilion and Expo Park, 2–3 hours to walk the trail to Abai Village.
• Best time: from sunset into the evening, when the lights come on. On clear winter days, the snowy Seoraksan is mirrored in the lake.
• Getting there: the lake is in central Sokcho, easy to reach by city bus or taxi, and about 1 km on foot from Abai Village.
• Combine with: cross on the Gaetbae ferry, try squid sundae in Abai Village and carry on to Sokcho Tourist and Fishery Market.